Paul's Ponderings

November 2008

Greetings All,

     I confess one of the first items that came to mind as I remembered that I need to write something for the newsletter is that there are only a few shopping days until…Christmas!!! Yes, last year I made a note that it would be good to give some ideas for Christmas simplicity. So easily we get caught up in the extravagance of the season and I had intended to write some ideas for keeping it simple and, shall I say, keeping the costs reasonable?! The most common rule of thumb I’ve heard, and one which is pretty common-sense, is use only cash to purchase Christmas presents. If you don’t have the money, don’t buy it, whatever ‘it’ may be!!

     I cannot remember any presidential election that didn’t seem like an urgent season in the life of this country; or at least in my own life. The turnout for November elections promises to be high. Do your prayers; then be sure you are among those who take advantage of this great opportunity to select leaders for the next season of your life and this world.

     Forward In Faith is going well, from what I can see. There are so many people becoming very committed to the process, beginning to consider what sacrifice they can make that will add spiritual depth to their lives as well as assist the church to provide for the future.

     Then we also have the challenge, in this very unpredictable economic season, to keep all current ministries rolling along through support of the General Fund. I read last week that

      “Those who practice extravagant generosity have a God-given vision and faith       to plant seeds for trees whose shade they will never see.”

   That’s so very true today, as it was years ago when the Educational Wing was built and when the original (1904) structure was built. Little did they know what great ministries would transpire!

     I am saddened by the removal of 15 persons from the membership rolls “by Church Conference Action.” I am always grieved when a person who at one time felt strongly enough about their faith to make a claim to support the church by “prayers, presence, gifts and service,” but then would fall away from keeping up that pledge. Another 18 are targeted for special invitation, inclusion, and re-activation this year. Nine of these people are local friends and neighbors. Be sure you do what you can to involve them.

    YOUTH MINISTRY must be a priority of ours. We desperately need a new foundation and passion. However, in youth ministry, because youth transition in and out every four years, continuity is provided by the adults of the church. (Not the Pastor, because pastors, as you know, come and go!) We remain in prayer mode for adults who have been called to this ministry to respond with passion and joy.

     In closing, I’ll mention that we have nine participants in the community grief group this Fall. There is an awesome mystery of how a group so varied in so many ways could come together and lend support, encouragement, grace, forgiveness, hope, joy and empathy to one another. And out of all that, there is a tremendous ignition of healing and hope. God is doing great things. Now the community reels as we consider the apparent suicide death of a teenager of the community. As you seek to help neighbors now or in the future, I offer the Suicide statement from the 2004 Social Principles of the United Methodist Church:

     N) Suicide – We believe that suicide is not the way a human life should end. Often suicide is the result of untreated depression, or untreated pain and suffering. The church has an obligation to see that all persons have access to needed pastoral and medical care and therapy in those circumstances that lead to loss of self-worth, suicidal despair, and/or the desire to seek physician-assisted suicide. We encourage the church to provide education to address the biblical, theological, social, and ethical issues related to death and dying, including suicide. United Methodist theological seminary courses should also focus on issues of death and dying, including suicide.

    A Christian perspective on suicide begins with an affirmation of faith that nothing, including suicide, separates us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Therefore, we deplore the condemnation of people who complete suicide, and we consider unjust the stigma that so often falls on surviving family and friends. We encourage pastors and faith communities to address this issue through preaching and teaching. We urge pastors and faith communities to provide pastoral care to those at risk, survivors, and their families, and to those families who have lost loved ones to suicide, seeking always to remove the oppressive stigma around suicide. The Church opposes assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Grace to you and peace,

Pastor Paul

FAITH

FAITH

Faith is such a necessary virtue: Unless you teach your moods "when to get off," you can never be a sound Christian (or a sound atheist,) but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of one's digestion. Consequently one must train the habit of faith.

The first step is to recognize that your moods change. The next step is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious readings and churchgoing are such necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed! And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christ, I wonder how many of them would turn out to not have been reasoned out of it by honest argument. Do not most people simply drift away???

from writings by C. S. Lewis

MATURE FAITH

There have been a couple requests for the "Mature Faith" slides shared in worship September 14th, so here is that information:

Mature Faith is integrated into life, and is shown in these dimensions:

The person of mature faith trusts God's saving grace and believes firmly in the humanity and divinity of Jesus;

Experiences a sense of personal well-being, security, and peace;

Integrates faith and life, seeking work, family, social relationships. and political choices as part of one's religious life;

Seeks spiritual growth through study, reflection, prayer, and discussion with others;

Seeks to be part of a community of believers in which people give witness to their faith and support and nourish one another;

Holds life affirming values, including commitment to racial and gender equality, affirmation of cultural and religious diversity, and a personal sense of responsibility for the welfare of others;

Advocates social and global change to bring about greater social justice.

-Pastor Paul-

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